Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 9 · Doctrines 1 · Question 88
88. Quest. What this abomination of desolation was.
1. Ireneus by the abomination of desolation,lib. 5. advers. haeres. vnderstandeth Antichrist, of whome he imagineth, that he should sit in the Temple at Ierusalem, and be worshipped as the Messiah: who is called the abomination, because of his abominable and execrable impietie; and desolation, because he shall make desolate the Churches and worship of Christians. But seeing that this desolation is prophesied to come vponupon Ierusalem, after the death of the Messiah, and our blessed Sauiour also referreth it to the destruction of Ierusalem, it can not be deferred so long, as to the comming of Antichrist: neither shall the Temple of the Iewes be repaired againe, for any such to sit or aduance himselfe in.
2. Some referre it to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes, who caused an abominable Idol to be set vp in the Temple, and the same to be called the Temple of Iuppiter Olympius, as Iosephus writeth, lib▪ 12. c. 17. the historie whereof is also set forth, 1. Macchab. 1. 57. But seeing our Sauiour hath reference to this place, speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem, Matth. 24. it seemeth this prophesie was not then fulfilled: whereas the profanation by Antiochus was past aboue 200. yeare before.
3. Some vnderstand it of the very Iewish sacrifices, which after the oblation of Christ vponupon the crosse, were detestable and abominable, Dyonis. Carthusian. Hug. Cardin. and the author of the scholasticall historie▪ But our Sauiour setteth forth this abomination of desolation, as a present signe of the destruction of the citie: whereas the legall sacrifices continued still after the death of Christ, which was 40. yeares before.
4. Tostadius, Hesselius, and …ansenius vponupon that place, Matth. 24. by this abomination of desolation, doe vnderstand the abominable outrages, which were committed by the seditious Iewes, who filled the Temple with dead bodies, and defiled it with blood. This seditious companie called themselues zelotas, zealous men, as Iosephus writeth: but they spared to commit no abomination, in so much that Iosephus writeth of them, that their wickednes was such, that if the Romanes had not come against them, he thinketh, that either the earth would hauehave deuoured the citie, or it should hauehave beene ouerflowne with water, or burnt with fire from heauen, as Sodom was. Iosephus also in the same place testifieth, that there was a common speach, that the citie should then be destroyed, and the Temple set on fire, when there should rise vp sedition among the people, and the Iewes with their owne hands first had defiled the Temple. Ioseph. lib. 5. de bell. Iudaic. c. 2. But seeing that these seditious, though they commited many abominations in the Temple, yet the finall destruction was not brought vponupon it by them, but by the Romanes, it is not so fitly applied to them.
5. Galatinus giueth this sense; because (so he interpreteth ghal canaph, which we translate, vponupon the wing) of the abomination, that is, their impietie for putting Christ to death, there shall come desolation vponupon them: But our blessed Sauiour pointeth at this abomination, as some visible thing standing vp in the Temple, which should be a signe of their desolation.
6. Bucer, by the wing of abominations, vnderstandeth the helpe of the deuills, by whome the abominable Romanes should be assisted in bringing this desolation vponupon Ierusalem, ex Oecolampad. but the power of the deuill is inuisible: this abomination of desolation Christ pointeth at as some visible thing standing in the Temple.
7. M. Calvin vnderstandeth it▪ de profanatione, &c. of the continuall profanation of the Temple, after the Gospel beganne to be preached: so Vatablus expoundeth, continuam seriem abominationum, vel multiplices abominationes, the continuance of abominations, or their manifold abominations. But these continuall profanations of the Temple were practised a long time, 40. yeares together: but this abomination of desolation is obserued by our Sauiour, as a neare signe of their destruction.
8. Some by the wing of abominations making desolate, vnderstand the legions and wings of the Romane armie, which should compasse the citie and defile the Temple: and this they gather by comparing the Euangelists together: whereas Matthew saith, When ye see the abomination of desolation, &c. standing in the holy place, &c. c. 24. 15. S. Luke thus reporteth the words of our Sauiour, When ye see Ierusalem besieged with souldiers, then vnderstand, that the desolation thereof is neare, c. 21. 20. And they are called the wing or armie of abominations, because they were infidels, and strangers from God: Thus Iunius, Polanus, Pererius, Caietan, and before them Augustine, epist. 80. ad Esychium. Pintus addeth further, that this wing or extension of abominations, may be interpreted, extensio vexilli exercitus Romani, the spreading of the banners of the Romane armie euen in the Temple. This exposition is very probable, and to good purpose, but yet not so fit and proper, as may appeare by these reason…. 1. S. Luke speaketh of the compassing of Ierusalem with souldiers, but Ierusalem was not that holy place, which the other Euangelists speake of: and Murke addeth, c. 13. 14. When you shall see the abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not: but the souldiers compassing or besieging the citie, stood, where they ought, and vse to stand. And beside, whereas the other Euangelists adde, spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, Luke hath not those words: so that it seemeth, he speaketh not of that abomination of desolation, expressed by the other; but of an other signe and forerunner of their desolation, the compassing of the citie with souldiers: which Christ had told them of before, chap. 19. 43. where he vseth the like word, foreign, they shall compasse thee about: and here he saith, when thou shalt see Ierusalem, foreign, compassed with souldiers. 2. If they vnderstand the souldiers entring and inuading the Temple, that was done diuers times before: for Pompey tooke the …tie, and entred into the Temple with his souldiers: so did Crassus after him, and robbed the Temple, and carried away the golden vessels: afterward Archelaus polluted and defiled the Temple, and slue nine thousand Iewes in a commotion, Oecolampad. Pellican. ex Ioseph. but these were not signes of imminent destruction. 3. Beside, they are admonished, when they see this abomination standing in the holy place, to flie into the mountaines: but when the souldiers had taken the citie, and inuaded the Temple, and set it on fire, and made hauocke of all, it was then too late to flie, all their miserie beeing alreadie past. 4. Polanus before vnderstandeth by the people of the Prince to come, the Gentiles, which should be called to the faith of Christ: how then doth he hold them now to be abominable. And seeing the Lord calleth Cyrus his annointed, Isa. 45. 1. because he executed his will vponupon the Chaldeans, yea the Lord called Nabuchadnezzer king of Babel his seruant, Ierem. 27. 6. beeing the minister of his iudgements vponupon his vnthankfull people; it seemeth to be vnfit, to call the armies of the Romanes, abominable, seeing they herein were the ministers of Gods sentence decreed against Ierusalem.
9. Wherefore I rather condescend to their opinion, which thinke that this abomination of desolation, was some abominable thing, which was set vp in the Temple, which was a signe of the desolation thereof following: as whether it were the ensignes of the Empire, the Romane Eagle, which Pilate brought in and set vp in the Temple, at the commandement of Tiberius, Osiand. or rather to gratifie the Emperour, Bulling. or the image which Caius Caligula caused to be set vp in the Temple with this inscription, Iovi illustri Caio, to Iuppiter the famous Caius, Osiand, Chrysostome, and Theophylact, and E…thymius vponupon the 24. of Matthew, doe take it for the image of Titus the Emperour, which was set vp in the Temple, when the citie was taken: so also Ab. Ezra. But this beeing present could be no signe of the desolation, to giuegive them warning after. R. Levi vnderstandeth it of the images which Manasses caused to be set vp in the Temple, for the which it came to desolation: but this was done before Christs time, in the daies of Antiochus. Hierome thinketh it was the image of Adrian set vp in the ruines of the Temple; so also Severus Sulpitius: but the Temple was destroied long before by Titus, and was not reedified againe. Therefore I rather take some of the other sensible profanations of the Temple to be vnderstood, which were set vp after the death of Christ: as Theodoret taketh that profanation by Pilate, signum futurae desolationis in vrbe & Templo erunt imagines qu…dam legibus interdictae, a signe of desolation to come, in the citie and Temple, shall be certaine images, forbidden by the law, brought into it, &c. which Pilate did, who brought in the night into the Temple the images of the Emperours.
But against this interpretation it will be obiected, 1. that Iosephus …, lib. 18. de antiquit. & lib. 2. de bell. Iudaic. that Pilate brought them into the citie, … speaketh not of the Temple: 2. it seemeth that this was done after the death of Christ, Perer. 3. and as Iosephus further writeth, that Pilate at the instance of the chiefe of the Iewes, (who went vntounto Cesarea, and offered their necks, rather then to suffer their countrey lawes to be transgressed) caused those images to be remooued againe.
Answ. 1. Though Iosephus make no mention of the Temple, yet Eusebius out of Philo, so alleadgeth: and it may be gathered also out of Iosephus report: for if the Romane ensignes had beene brought onelyonly into the citie, the Iewes would not hauehave so much stood vponupon it: for it had beene no more, then to hauehave Cesars image in their coine. 2. This was done rather after the passion of Christ, as Oecolampad. inferreth out of Iosephus. 3. And though they were remooued, yet it is like they stood there some certaine time. 4. Neither onelyonly is this abomination of desolation to be restrained to the images, which Pilate brought in: but it comprehendeth also other like profanations, as that of Caligula, before mentioned: for the word is put in the plural (shakutzim) abominations.
Now that this is the most fit and conuenient sense of this place, our reasons are these: 1. because this reading of the Septuagint and vulgar Latin, in the Temple shall be the abomination of desolation, is confirmed and warranted by our blessed Sauiour, Matth. 24. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. 2. The abomination of desolation, which was in Antiochus time, foreshewed Dan. 8. 13. & 11. 31. they shall pollute the Sanctuarie, &c. and set vp the abominable desolation, is taken in that sense: which was the abominable idol of Iuppiter Olympius which was set vp vponupon the altar, as appeareth, 1. Macc. 1. 57. and Iosephus also writeth, that he caused the Sanctuarie to be called the Temple of Iuppiter Olympius, lib. 12. antiquit. c. 7. The like meaning of the same words is also insinuated here. 3. The Hebrew word shakutz, abomination, is peculiar to idols: as 1. king. 11. 5. Milcom is called shakutz, the abomination of the Ammonites: the abomination then, and abominable thing is most properly vnderstood, to be some abominable idol set vp. 4. The word also canaph, wing, is applied to the Sanctuarie▪ as Psal. 61. 4. I will dwell in thy Tabernacle for euer, and my trust shall be vnderunder the couering of thy wings: where Dauid alludeth to the Cherubims, which strercheth out their wings, and ouershadowed the Arke. So Matth. 4. 5. the place of the Temple whether Christ was carried in his second temptation, is called foreign, the wing, that is the pinnacle, or battlement of the Temple. Pintus taketh the wing, for the spreading of the banners in the Temple: R. Saadinh by the wing of abomination, interpreteth the hand of those which taee abominable things, as swines flesh: but this is forced, and he seemeth especially to hauehave reference to Antiochus times. It is most fitly therefore referred to the Temple: the wing or pinacle, and part, beeing taken for the whole, Oecolamp. or because in the inward parts were the Cherubims with their stretched-out wings, Osiand. or rather because the Temple was in respect of the defence thereof, and Gods presence, called the wings of God, Bulling. and it stood in the highest part of the citie, as ouershadowing the rest, as it were with wings: see more of the diuers acceptions of this word in the question next before.